The Green Mosque Bursa stands as one of Turkey's most magnificent architectural treasures, commissioned by Sultan Mehmed I Çelebi during his reign from 1413 to 1421. As you explore this stunning structure, you'll discover a masterpiece that took seven years to complete, with construction beginning in 1412 and finishing in December 1419 or January 1420.
This remarkable Green Mosque in Turkey represents the pinnacle of early Ottoman artistry, with its decoration completed in August 1424 by the talented Nakkas Ali bin Ilyas Ali. Built under the supervision of architect Hacı İvaz Pasha, the mosque features exquisite tile works and intricate pen work that showcase extraordinary craftsmanship. Additionally, the impressive 15-meter (49-foot)-high mihrab in the main prayer hall serves as the spiritual focal point of this historic sanctuary.
Despite suffering damage during an earthquake in 1855, which destroyed its once-columned porch, the Green Mosque has been carefully restored to preserve its grandeur. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site continues to captivate visitors with its sandstone exterior covered with marble panels, a magnificent stalactite gateway, and unparalleled artistic beauty that tells the story of Ottoman heritage.
Behind the striking green-tiled façade of this architectural masterpiece lies a story of royal ambition, artistic vision, and cultural exchange. The Green Mosque's origins reveal how Ottoman rulers sought to blend power with piety through monumental architecture.
The foundations of the Green Mosque in Bursa were laid in 1412 as part of Sultan Mehmed I's vision to create a lasting monument. After a tumultuous period fighting his brothers to reunite the fragmented Ottoman Empire, Mehmed I sought to cement his legacy through ambitious architectural projects.
The mosque formed the centerpiece of a larger complex (külliye) that would serve multiple religious and social functions. According to historical inscriptions, while construction of the main structure was completed by December 1419 or January 1420, the decorative work continued for several years afterward.
Ironically, Sultan Mehmed I never witnessed the completed masterpiece he had commissioned. Following his death in 1421, his son and successor, Murad II, ensured the project's completion by August 1424. Furthermore, Murad II commissioned the Green Tomb (Yeşil Türbe) across from the mosque as the final resting place for his father and other family members.
The architectural genius behind the Green Mosque was Hacı İvaz Pasha, a remarkable figure who served the Ottoman Empire in multiple capacities. Before turning his talents to architecture, he had been a military commander who fought alongside Sultan Mehmed I in battle.
As both architect and vizier, Hacı İvaz Pasha brought a unique perspective to the mosque's design. Historical records from 15th-century historian Aşıkpaşazade note that Pasha "brought masters and men of skill from foreign lands" to realize his ambitious vision for the structure. This international collaboration resulted in what many scholars consider the culmination of early Ottoman architectural style.
The vision for the Green Mosque went beyond mere religious functionality. It represented a statement of Ottoman power, sophistication, and artistic sensibility at a time when the empire was reasserting its strength after a period of division. Notably, the mosque's completion in 1424 marked a significant milestone in the development of Ottoman architectural identity.
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Green Mosque is its exquisite tile decoration, which bears the unmistakable influence of artisans known as the "Masters of Tabriz". An inscription on the tiles surrounding the mihrab explicitly credits these craftsmen, stating this is the "work of the masters of Tabriz".
These master artisans were brought together under the supervision of Nakkaş ("the Artist") Ali bin Ilyas Ali, who completed the mosque's decorative scheme in August 1424. Tabriz, located in western Iran, was a prominent artistic center frequently under Timurid control during this period, creating a natural channel for artistic exchange.
The Masters of Tabriz introduced innovative techniques previously unseen in Ottoman architecture. Their use of the cuerda seca tile-making technique represented the first instance of this decorative approach in Ottoman buildings. Additionally, their innovative combination of colored glaze and cut stone techniques had previously only been seen in Samarkand.
The influence of these craftsmen extended well beyond the Green Mosque. Subsequently, they contributed their talents to several other significant Ottoman structures, including the II. Murad Mosque in Bursa and the Shah Angel Mosque in Edirne. Through their work, these artists fundamentally shaped the decorative language of early Ottoman architecture, creating a legacy that continues to captivate visitors to this day.
Stepping into the Green Mosque in Bursa reveals an architectural wonder that skillfully balances form, function, and spiritual significance. The building's distinctive design combines traditional Islamic architectural principles with innovative Ottoman features that would later influence mosques throughout the empire.
The Green Mosque follows an inverted T-plan layout, structured as a two-story cube with an extension on the south (qibla) side. This innovative design creates a harmonious flow between spaces while maintaining clear functional areas. Upon entering, you'll find yourself in a vestibule leading to a short hallway running north-south, intersected by a longer east-west corridor.
From this entrance area, two staircases provide access to the second floor, while doorways open to large corner rooms equipped with fireplaces and windows overlooking the main north facade. These thoughtfully designed corner spaces served multiple purposes, including accommodations for traveling dervishes and royal chambers with private access to the worship areas.
The inverted T-plan represents a significant evolution in Ottoman mosque architecture, essentially creating a single-unit mosque whose interior space includes a square prayer hall and a rectangular three-bay vestibule. This layout allows for both communal worship and contemplative private spaces within the same structure.
The heart of the Green Mosque is its magnificent central hall, which extends from north to south beneath the building's largest dome. As you proceed along the north-south hallway, you enter this impressive chamber featuring a stunning octagonal white marble fountain with a pool.
The fountain serves both practical and aesthetic purposes. Beyond its beauty, this water feature was designed to prevent eavesdropping through the natural sound of running water. Moreover, the central dome above the fountain originally featured an oculus (now replaced with a glass lantern), creating a dramatic play of natural light across the water's surface.
Flanking this central space to the east and west are two large iwans (vaulted spaces), each rising two stories high and topped with its own dome. These side iwans create a sense of symmetry and balance in the design. Particularly noteworthy is the prayer hall iwan on the south side, featuring the mosque's stunning mihrab (prayer niche) and multiple sets of windows that illuminate the space.
The Green Mosque represents a significant milestone in Ottoman architecture as the first marble structure built by the Ottomans in Bursa. The marble used in construction was sourced from Marmara Island in the Sea of Marmara, a quarry that remains active today. Inside, large plates of textured marble line the interior walls up to a height of 3.30 meters, creating a sense of refinement and permanence.
The mosque's domes—measuring 13 meters wide and reaching 25 meters high—create a soaring sense of space. Originally, these domes were clad in blue and green tiles, which gave the mosque its distinctive name. Though now covered in lead, the domes remain impressive architectural features. The central prayer hall is covered by a hemispherical dome eleven meters in diameter that rests on a polygonal drum decorated with a frieze of prismatic Turkish triangles and pierced by three arched windows.
Certainly, the most distinctive dome crowns the prayer hall, featuring colorful floral patterns that showcase the height of Ottoman decorative artistry. This interplay between structural and decorative elements demonstrates how the mosque's architects skillfully balanced engineering necessity with aesthetic beauty, creating a space that continues to inspire visitors centuries after its construction.
The interior walls of the Green Mosque in Bursa showcase a dazzling array of decorative elements that have captivated visitors for centuries. What truly sets this monument apart is not just its architecture but the exquisite craftsmanship evident in every corner.
The Green Mosque employs a remarkably diverse range of tile techniques, with black-line tiles composing the majority of the decorative surfaces. These distinctive tiles reflect extensive Timurid influence that emerged through frequent invasions of Ottoman territories. Unlike traditional cuerda seca tiles (though often mistaken for them), these black-line tiles feature intricate patterns created with manganese outlines that keep colors separate during firing.
Throughout the prayer hall, dark green hexagonal and triangular tiles cover the lower portions of the walls. This stunning tilework earned the mosque its name—"Green Mosque"—due to the exuberant decoration with green and blue tilework. Uniquely, an inscription explicitly credits these masterpieces as "amal-i ustādhān-i Tabrīz" (work of the masters of Tabriz), accompanied by a couplet from the Persian poet Sa'di.
The mihrab stands as the artistic centerpiece of the Green Mosque in Turkey. This grand structure ascends from the floor of the south iwan to the base of the dome. Square black-line tiles, glazed in blue, purple, white, and yellow, cover the mihrab's interior with geometric motifs.
In fact, the mihrab consists of a muqarnas niche surmounted by an inscription plaque, all framed in a rectangular field decorated with concentric bands of tilework. These bands include vegetal motifs, geometric patterns, and inscription bands that demonstrate extraordinary artistry. The name of Nakkas Ali bin Ilyas Ali appears above the royal box as designer of the entire decorative scheme.
Beyond tilework, the Green Mosque boasts superb carved decorations along all exterior elements, from the entryway to the window frames. The front portal is made of carved marble and features a tall, recessed muqarnas niche, with unique marble tympana decorated with arabesques framing the flanking windows.
This portal, framed with floral carvings and scripture, references similar portals found in Seljuk mosques, madrasas, and mausolea. Perhaps the most stunning decoration is found in the second-story loge that opens onto the central domed chamber above the entrance. This room is completely covered with tile revetment displaying geometric and vegetal patterns, a muqarnas cornice, and a tiled ceiling with a large shamsa (sunburst roundel).
The mihrab itself features twelve rows of muqarnas and two ribbed columns with similarly intricate and colorful tilework, creating an awe-inspiring focal point for worshippers and visitors alike.
Throughout its six-century history, the Green Mosque Bursa has faced significant threats to its existence, yet survived through careful preservation efforts. The mosque's resilience against natural disasters and time stands as a testament to its cultural importance.
The devastating Bursa earthquake of February 28, 1855, measured an estimated 7.5 magnitude, wreaking havoc throughout the city. This catastrophic event killed 300 people across Bursa and destroyed thousands of homes and workplaces. Consequently, historical monuments, including the Green Mosque, suffered extensive structural damage.
A devastating aftershock on April 11, 1855, measuring 6.65 magnitude, further affected the region from Gemlik to Mudanya, claiming an additional 1,300 lives. For the Green Mosque, the earthquake marked a critical turning point in its history. The building required closure for many years as Turkey's location in an active seismic zone continues to pose ongoing threats to its historical structures.
Eight years after the earthquake, in 1863, extensive renovations began under the direction of French architect and artist Léon Parvillée. Parvillée had first visited Istanbul in 1851 and later moved there in 1855, developing expertise in Ottoman architectural styles.
Ahmet Vefik Paşa, the regional administrator of western Anatolia and advocate for Ottoman heritage preservation, specifically requested Parvillée to restore Bursa's royal monuments during the city's modernization period. Although historical records indicate Parvillée remained in Bursa from 1862 to 1867, there are uncertainties about whether he supervised the entire restoration or simply planned it before returning to Paris.
Parvillée's comprehensive work included rebuilding the two minarets on their original bases and restoring both interior and exterior elements, including the iconic black-line tiles on the mosque's portal. Interestingly, the polychrome painted decorations that once adorned the upper walls and ceilings were not reinstated during this restoration.
Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the mosque underwent several additional restoration campaigns. Between 1941 and 1943, the ceramic facing of the tiles was carefully removed and reinstalled. This meticulous work ensured the preservation of the mosque's most distinctive decorative elements.
More recently, the Green Mosque underwent another major renovation beginning in 2010. This extensive project, costing 1.8 million Turkish Liras, was completed in May 2012 when the mosque reopened to the public. These modern restoration efforts focused on preserving both the structural integrity and artistic elements that make the Green Mosque a treasured part of Turkey's architectural heritage.
Beyond the magnificent Green Mosque, a collection of complementary structures forms the wider Green Complex (Yeşil Külliyesi), highlighting the multifaceted nature of Ottoman urban planning. These architectural gems work together to create a spiritual and social hub that continues to captivate visitors today.
Perched on a small hill across from the mosque, the Green Tomb (Yeşil Türbe) stands as one of Bursa's defining symbols. This hexagonal mausoleum, constructed in 1421 by Murad II following his father's death, houses the remains of Sultan Mehmed I. The structure's exterior is clad in striking blue-green tiles that give the tomb its distinctive name, though many were replaced with Kütahya tiles after the 1855 earthquake.
Upon entering through the ornate portal decorated with Iznik tiles in green, blue, white, and yellow, visitors discover a remarkably decorated interior chamber. Inside, Sultan Mehmed I's sarcophagus occupies a raised central platform, richly adorned with Islamic calligraphy tiles. Remarkably, the tomb also contains seven additional burials, including those of the sultan's sons Mustafa, Mahmud, and Yusuf, his daughters, and even his nanny.
Adjacent to the mosque, the Green Madrasa (also known as Sultaniye Madrasa) dates to 1419. The well-preserved structure features a thoughtfully designed courtyard surrounded by vaulted porticoes on three sides, with a large domed classroom opposite the entrance. Historical records indicate that construction began in 1414 under Çelebi Sultan Mehmet but was only completed in 1424 after his death.
On April 8, 1930, the madrasa gained new life when it reopened as the Bursa Archeological Museum. Initially housing both archeological artifacts and Islamic art collections, the building's purpose evolved over time. Currently, following a major restoration completed in 2020, it operates as the Bursa Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, a role it has maintained since November 22, 1975.
Nearby, the Green Soup Kitchen (Yeşil İmareti Aşevi) once served a vital social function within the complex. Built between 1414 and 1421 by the same architect who designed the mosque, Hacı İvaz Pasha, this facility provided free meals to madrasa students and the needy. Presently, the restored structure serves as an event center.
The complex originally included a hammam (bathhouse) as well, located east of the Green Tomb. Unfortunately, only partial remains have been preserved from this structure, alongside other elements of the once-comprehensive social complex that embodied Ottoman principles of public welfare and community support.
Standing before the Green Mosque offers a profound connection to Ottoman history that transcends mere sightseeing. This architectural masterpiece certainly deserves its reputation as one of Turkey's most significant historical treasures. Throughout its six-century existence, the mosque has withstood earthquakes, witnessed empire transformations, and evolved from a simple place of worship into a celebrated UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Green Mosque's exceptional features set it apart from other Ottoman structures. First and foremost, its distinctive black-line tilework created by the Masters of Tabriz established a decorative language that influenced Ottoman architecture for centuries afterward. Additionally, the inverted T-plan layout demonstrates how early Ottoman architects balanced religious functionality with artistic expression.
You might wonder what makes this particular mosque worth visiting among Turkey's many historical sites. The answer lies in its remarkable unity of purpose. Every element—from the meticulously carved marble to the soaring domes, from the octagonal fountain to the Persian inscriptions—tells a coherent story of Ottoman artistic achievement during a pivotal moment in the empire's development.
The Green Complex as a whole represents Ottoman urban planning at its finest. Each structure—mosque, tomb, madrasa, soup kitchen, and bathhouse—fulfilled specific social and spiritual needs while contributing to a harmonious architectural ensemble. This comprehensive approach shows how Ottoman rulers viewed architecture as both a practical necessity and a political statement.
The next time you find yourself in Bursa, allow ample time to explore this architectural gem thoroughly. Walk through the marble-lined halls, gaze up at the decorated domes, and appreciate the craftsmanship that has captivated visitors for generations. Though created in the 15th century, the Green Mosque remains a living monument, still functioning as a place of worship while simultaneously preserving the artistic legacy of an empire at its cultural zenith.
Q1. Why is the Green Mosque in Bursa significant?
The Green Mosque is a masterpiece of early Ottoman architecture, known for its exquisite tilework, innovative design, and historical importance. Commissioned by Sultan Mehmed I in the 15th century, it showcases the pinnacle of Ottoman artistry and has influenced mosque architecture for centuries.
Q2. What makes the Green Mosque's tiles unique?
The mosque's distinctive black-line tiles, created by the Masters of Tabriz, represent a unique blend of Ottoman and Timurid influences. These tiles feature intricate patterns with manganese outlines and cover much of the interior, giving the mosque its name due to the predominant green and blue colors.
Q3. How has the Green Mosque been preserved over the centuries?
Despite facing damage from earthquakes, particularly in 1855, the Green Mosque has undergone several restorations. Notable efforts include the 19th-century restoration by Léon Parvillée and more recent renovations completed in 2012, ensuring the preservation of both its structural integrity and artistic elements.
Q4. What other structures are part of the Green Complex?
The Green Complex includes the Green Tomb (Yeşil Türbe), which houses Sultan Mehmed I's remains, a madrasa that now serves as the Bursa Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, a former soup kitchen, and remnants of a bathhouse. Together, these structures showcase Ottoman urban planning and social welfare principles.
Q5. What architectural features distinguish the Green Mosque?
The mosque features an inverted T-plan layout, a central hall with an octagonal fountain, and impressive domes reaching 25 meters high. Its use of marble, intricate carvings, and the stunning mihrab adorned with tiles and muqarnas details all contribute to its unique architectural character.